by Adi Joseph, USA TODAY Sports

by Adi Joseph, USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Heat forward will be named NBA MVP for the fourth time in five seasons, a person familiar with the voting told USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Zillgitt. The person requested anonymity because the announcement is scheduled for Sunday, with the presentation likely before the Heat's second-round playoff opener Monday.

James is the fifth player in NBA history to win four MVPs, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six), Michael Jordan (five), Bill Russell (five) and Wilt Chamberlain (four). At 28, James is a year younger than Abdul-Jabbar and Russell, three years younger than Chamberlain and five younger than Jordan were when they won their fourth MVPs.

"I absolutely have not even thought about it," James said earlier this week of winning his fourth award. "I have not thought about it, until you just brought it up. I know the history. It would be a unique, unbelievable class I would be a part of, so we'll see."

James averaged 26.8 points a game, his lowest scoring output during an MVP season. But he added 8.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 56.5% from the field and 40.6% on three-pointers in the most efficient season of his career. He is the second player in NBA history to shoot 55% from the field and 40% on threes in one season, joining Chris Mullin in 1996-97.

"I don't know who else you'd vote for," Heat forward Chris Bosh said Friday. "No offense to everybody else, but that's just how good he has played this year."